Why doesn't a Sunday televised Mass fulfill the Sunday obligation?

[Dusty]

I understand that the fullness of grace would not be afforded to one who does not receive Holy Communion, but if one were still participating in the televised Mass at home, why is this said that this does not fulfill the Sunday obligation?
I do not, and hope others would not view our Masses as simply tv entertainment. The Sacrifice of the Mass is still taking place, and some televised Masses include the prayer for Spiritual Communion “for those unable to receive.”
Please help. I don’t understand what I am missing. Thanks.

 

[Fergal]

Attending Mass is an obligation in the Roman Catholicism religion. Mass is a very important aspect in Catholicism. The Catholic catechism states “Participation in the communal celebration of the Sunday Eucharist is a testimony of belonging and of being faithful to Christ and to his Church. The faithful give witness by this to their communion in faith and charity. Together they testify to God’s holiness and their hope of salvation. They strengthen one another under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.”

In order to miss Sunday Mass there must be a vaild reason. If there is no vailid reason and Holy Mass is missed, then grave sin is occured.

If there is no valid reason for non attendance, the televised mass will do for the soul what a microwave oven will do for food left outside it. It cannot deliver.

For those with a valid reason for non attendance the obligation is removed. For those who still desire Holy Mass and cannot attend, the televising of same is of enormous comfort and continues to be a sign of unity and grace for them.Indeed it is a very beautiful gift to these faithful.

Put it like this: Would you genuflect to a televised picture of a monstrance with the Lord exposed within it?

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Dusty:

I understand that the fullness of grace would not be afforded to one who does not receive Holy Communion, but if one were still participating in the televised Mass at home, why is this said that this does not fulfill the Sunday obligation?
I do not, and hope others would not view our Masses as simply tv entertainment. The Sacrifice of the Mass is still taking place, and some televised Masses include the prayer for Spiritual Communion “for those unable to receive.”
Please help. I don’t understand what I am missing. Thanks.

Unlike some Christians who believe that the Church is only a Spiritual community of believers. The Catholic Christian believes that the Church is both a Spiritual and physical community. A community that comes together in person, to worship, pray and support one another.

 

[cameron_lansing]

While there have already been sufficient and excellent responses, the directory *Sunday Celebrations in the Absence of a Priest * (Sacred Congregation for the Sacraments and Divine Worship, 1988) offers some useful exposition.

"Chapter I: Sunday and Its Observance

1. “By a tradition handed down from the apostles and having its origin from the very day of Christ’s resurrection, the Church celebrates the paschal mystery every eighth day, which, with good reason, bears the name of the Lord’s Day or Sunday.” [5]
2. Evidence of the gathering of the faithful on the day which the New Testament itself already designates as the Lord’s Day [6] appears explicitly in documents of the first and second centuries. [7] Outstanding among such evidence is the testimony of Saint Justin: “On this day which is called Sunday, all who live in the cities or in the country gather together in one place.” [8] But the day of gathering for Christians did not coincide with the day of rest in the Greek or Roman calendar and therefore event he gathering on this day was a sign to fellow citizens of the Christians’ identity.
3. From the earliest centuries pastors had never failed to counsel their people on the need to gather together on Sunday. " Because you are Christ’s members, do not scatter from the church by not coming together . . . do not neglect your Savior or separate him from his members. Do not shatter or scatter the Body of Christ . . . ." [9] Vatican Council II recalled this teaching in the following words: "On this day Christ’s faithful must gather together, so that, by hearing the word of God and taking part in the eucharist, they may call to mind the passion, resurrection, and glorification of the Lord Jesus and may thank God, who ‘has begotten them again unto a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead’ " (1 Peter 1:3). [10]
4. Saint Ignatius of Antioch pointed out the importance of the Sunday celebration for the life of the faithful: “Christians no longer observe the sabbath day, but live according to the Lord’s Day, on which our life was restored through Jesus Christ and his death.” [11] In their " sense of the faith" (sensus fidelium) the faithful, now as in the past, have held the Lord’s Day in such high regard that they have never willingly omitted its observance even in times of persecution or in the midst of cultures alien or hostile to the Christian faith."

 

[Nan_S]

Fergal:

Attending Mass is an obligation in the Roman Catholicism religion. Mass is a very important aspect in Catholicism. The Catholic catechism states "Participation in the communal celebration of the Sunday Eucharist is a testimony of belonging and of being faithful to Christ and to his Church.

“Participation” is the key word here. You must be physically present to participate. If you are on the other end of a televised broadcast you are an observer, not a participant.

 

[Chris_Jacobsen]

Is watching a baseball game on television the same as going to the baseball game?

Is watching a fishing program the same as going fishing?

Is watching a travel documentary about France the same as going to France?

Is watching Mass on television the same as going to Mass?

The answer to all of these questions is no!

 

[mgy100]

Because sometimes you have to man/woman enough to get off your couch and actually participate in actual… physical… society.